An aspect of LTE operation is for the UE to signal as little as possible while not having any data to send or receive; to use as little power as possible. One way to do so is for the UE to remain in RRC_IDLE while not sending any data. Before each transmission the UE may need to switch state to RRC_CONNECTED; a procedure that involves exchanging a number of messages between the UE and the eNB. Remaining in RRC_IDLE may be efficient for this purpose as long as the UE remains fairly stationary, i.e., the UE does not have to perform measurements on other neighboring cells. Hence, fast switch to RRC_IDLE may be particularly efficient for MTC (Machine Type Communication) devices that are not expected to move.
Further power reduction may be provided by suspending and resuming an RRC connection. With known suspending and resuming of RRC connections, an incorrect or unsupported configuration may be used when a connection is resumed resulting in lost data, malfunction, and/or unexpected behavior.